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The Spring dinner sold out in days. Summer and Fall dates are now open — don’t wait.
There’s something about a really good dinner that has the power to pull you fully into the present moment — no matter where you’ve just been or how long the day was. I flew in from Puerto Rico, landed at SFO, and my partner Hayden and I drove straight to St. Helena without stopping. I was tired. I was a little jet-lagged. And the moment we walked into the Clif Family Tasting Room, none of that mattered anymore.
That’s the magic of Clif Family Winery. It has a warmth to it that I keep coming back to — an approachability that’s rare in Napa, where things can sometimes feel more like a performance than an experience. At Clif Family, you feel genuinely welcomed. The kind of welcomed that makes you exhale.
We were there for the Winter edition of the Peak Season Supper Series — a once-a-season dinner that does exactly what its name promises: celebrates the very best of what the farm and the valley have to offer at that precise moment in time. And it’s one of the most special evenings I’ve had in Napa.
What Is the Peak Season Supper Series?
At the heart of everything Clif Family does is their certified organic farm — a remarkable 5-acre property in the eastern Napa hills growing over 70 different crops, from heirloom tomatoes to winter brassicas to citrus. That farm feeds their beloved Bruschetteria Food Truck, their artisan preserves and food products, and the tasting room menu. It’s not just a marketing story — the farm-to-table connection at Clif Family is real and visible in every bite.
The Peak Season Supper Series takes that philosophy to its most elevated expression. Once each season, Executive Chef Magnus Young and his culinary team design a four-course dinner built entirely around what’s peak on the farm and from local purveyors right now — not what’s trendy, not what’s available year-round, but what is at its absolute best in this season, in this valley. Each course is paired with wines from winemaker Laura Barrett’s organically farmed collection.
It’s the kind of dinner that reminds you why terroir matters — and that it applies to food just as much as it does to wine.
“Wine doesn’t exist in a vacuum — and neither does food. The Peak Season Supper Series is proof of what happens when both are given the same reverence.”
The Winter Menu: A Recap
The tasting room was set with long communal tables — the kind that make conversation feel easy and inevitable. We found ourselves chatting with strangers by the second course and leaving as friends by dessert. That’s the spirit of the evening.
Chef Magnus built the Winter menu around the roots, greens, and brassicas that define cold-weather Napa farming, and the result was a menu full of unexpected pairings and quiet surprises.
I’ll be honest — I had never had chawanmushi before that evening. The word was unfamiliar, the dish was unexpected, and yet the moment it arrived I understood exactly what Chef Magnus was doing: opening the meal with something that asks you to slow down and pay attention. It was silky and subtle, and the Sauvignon Blanc alongside it was the perfect gentle introduction.
The beets and citrus course was the one that stayed with me most. There’s something about roasted winter beets — earthy, sweet, a little caramelized — against bright citrus butter and creamy goat cheese that feels like the best possible version of the season. The Rosé of Grenache was a brilliant pairing: just enough freshness to cut through the richness, just enough body to honor the earthiness of the beets. Perfect winter food.
And then came the moment that surprised me most: the Pacific halibut paired with Cabernet Franc. On paper, that sounds like an unusual choice. In the glass and on the plate, it was a revelation. The turnip sauce and braised brassicas brought enough weight to the dish to bridge the gap, and the Cab Franc — with its herbaceous, slightly peppery character — turned out to be exactly what the fish needed. It’s the kind of pairing that makes you reconsider everything you thought you knew about matching red wine with seafood.
The Akaushi striploin with bone marrow hollandaise was a stunning main course, and ending the evening with a chai-spiced pot de crème alongside the Cima Cabernet Sauvignon felt like the most natural, elegant conclusion — warm spice meeting rich, ripe fruit.
Laura Barrett’s wines were present throughout the evening in a way that never overpowered — they complemented, elevated, and occasionally surprised. That, too, is the Clif Family philosophy: the wine is good company, never the whole story.
Book Your Seat: Summer & Fall Dinners
The Spring dinner has already sold out — and if my experience is any indication, that should tell you everything you need to know. These evenings are intimate, the seats are limited, and people who attend once tend to come back.
Two dates remain this year, and if you’re planning a trip to Napa — or you’re local and looking for an evening that will genuinely stay with you — I’d book sooner rather than later.
For Summer, Chef Magnus has promised that tomatoes from the farm will take center stage — which, if you’ve ever had a perfectly ripe Napa Valley heirloom tomato at peak season, you’ll understand is reason enough to go.
Beyond the Dinner: The Full Clif Family Experience
If you’re making a trip to see Clif Family, know that the Peak Season Supper Series is the pinnacle of their food and wine programming — but it’s far from the only reason to visit. Their Bruschetteria Food Truck serves the most beautiful, farm-fresh bruschette, rotisserie chicken, and seasonal sides right on site (Wednesday through Sunday). You can grab a bottle from the Tasting Room and settle in on the patio — one of the most civilized ways to spend an afternoon in St. Helena. Or book an appointment at the Enoteca for a more intimate single-vineyard experience.
And if you can’t make it to Napa, their full range of experiences — including virtual tastings — means the Clif Family table is never too far away.
I flew in jet-lagged and left completely restored. That’s what the right dinner can do. I hope you get to experience it for yourself.
Don’t miss your seat at the table.
The Summer and Fall Peak Season Suppers at Clif Family are open for booking now. Spring sold out — these will too.
